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Grilled Chicken Wings are the smoky, charred, crowd pleasing app I fire up all summer long, and these key lime marinated ones stole the show at our last backyard cookout when the whole family kept sneaking seconds. A bright key lime, brown sugar, and garlic marinade gives the wings a sticky char and tons of flavor straight off the grill. If you love cooking out, our carne asada tacos are another grill night winner.
A simple key lime marinade and a hot grill are all it takes for the juiciest, most flavorful Grilled Chicken Wings.
Grilled Chicken Wings Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 8 hours 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 395kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky and charred with bright key lime, sweet brown sugar, and garlic
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, marinate then grill like our chipotle chicken
Quick Answer
To make Grilled Chicken Wings, blend a marinade of key lime juice, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, and herbs, then pour it over the wings and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight. Reserve and boil the leftover marinade for basting, then grill the wings over medium heat, basting often, until charred and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Jump to:
- Grilled Chicken Wings Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Grilled Chicken Wings
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Grilled Chicken Wings FAQs
- Other Recommended Chicken Recipes
- Key Lime Grilled Chicken Wings
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- An overnight marinade packs in flavor. Soaking the wings in the key lime marinade lets the citrus, garlic, and herbs flavor the meat all the way through.
- Brown sugar gives a sticky char. The sugar in the marinade caramelizes on the grill, giving Grilled Chicken Wings that irresistible sticky, charred crust.
- Boiling the reserved marinade makes a safe baste. Bringing the leftover marinade to a boil lets you brush it on safely for extra layers of flavor.
- Key lime brightens rich chicken. Tart key lime cuts through the richness of the wings for a bright, balanced bite.
- Medium heat prevents burning. Grilling over medium heat lets the wings cook through and char without the sugar scorching.
- A thermometer guarantees juicy wings. Cooking to 165 degrees means the Grilled Chicken Wings are safe, juicy, and never dried out.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big bold flavor. The key lime, garlic, and brown sugar marinade makes these wings unforgettable.
- Perfect for a cookout. Grilled Chicken Wings feed a crowd and are always the first thing gone.
- Make ahead friendly. Marinate overnight, then grill in 20 minutes, like our chipotle chicken marinade.
Key Ingredients
These Grilled Chicken Wings get their bright flavor from a simple key lime marinade. Here are the key players.
- Chicken wings: Cut into sections with the tips removed so they grill up evenly and crisp.
- Key lime juice: The star of the marinade, bringing bright, tart citrus flavor. Regular lime juice works too.
- Brown sugar: Balances the tart lime and caramelizes into a sticky, charred glaze on the grill.
- Garlic and fresh herbs: Garlic, oregano, and parsley give the wings savory, herby depth.
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper: Round out the marinade and help it cling to every wing.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Grilled Chicken Wings are easy to customize. Try these ideas.
- Spicy: Add a diced jalapeno or a pinch of cayenne to the marinade.
- Regular lime: No key limes? Use fresh regular lime juice instead.
- Honey glaze: Swap the brown sugar for honey for a different sticky finish.
- Oven or air fryer: No grill? Bake at 425 degrees or air fry until charred and cooked through.
- Cilantro lime: Use cilantro in place of parsley for a fresh twist.
- Drumsticks: Use the same marinade on drumsticks or thighs, adjusting the cook time.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Wings
- Blend the key lime juice, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Place the wings in a gallon zip top bag, pour the marinade over, and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
- Drain the excess marinade into a small pot, bring it to a boil, then take it off the heat to use for basting.
- Prepare the grill and cook the wings over medium heat, turning to char them evenly.
- Baste the wings with the boiled marinade every couple of minutes, especially after turning.
- Continue grilling until the wings reach 165 degrees inside with a good char, then serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Marinate overnight. The longer the Grilled Chicken Wings soak, the more flavor they soak up.
- Always boil the reserved marinade. Bring it to a full boil before basting so it is safe to brush on.
- Grill over medium heat. The brown sugar burns over high heat, so keep it moderate for a perfect char.
- Use a thermometer. Pull the wings at 165 degrees in the thickest part for juicy, safe meat.
- Baste often. Brushing on marinade every couple minutes builds sticky, flavorful layers.
- Get a good char. Let the wings sit on the grates long enough to develop those crave worthy grill marks.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Grilled Chicken Wings are the perfect centerpiece for any cookout, served hot off the grill with extra lime wedges. Set out cool dips like ranch or blue cheese for dunking.
Round out the plate with classic cookout sides. They are amazing next to our classic potato salad and a five bean salad for a full backyard spread.
For a bigger grill night, serve them alongside our carne asada tacos. A cold drink and these sticky, charred wings make summer entertaining easy.
Grilled Chicken Wings FAQs
Marinate Grilled Chicken Wings for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. The longer they sit in the key lime marinade, the more flavorful and tender the wings become.
Grilled Chicken Wings are done when they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees in the thickest part. Use an instant read thermometer to be sure they are juicy and safe.
Yes, but you must boil it first. Drain the leftover marinade into a pot and bring it to a full boil to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken, then it is safe to baste your Grilled Chicken Wings.
Absolutely. Bake the marinated wings at 425 degrees or air fry them until charred and cooked to 165 degrees. You will miss a little smoke but still get great flavor from the marinade.
The brown sugar in the marinade can scorch over high heat, so grill the wings over medium heat and turn them often. Basting with the boiled marinade also helps keep them moist.
Store leftover Grilled Chicken Wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven or air fryer to crisp them back up.
Firing up the grill again? Try our carne asada tacos next.
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Key Lime Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings cut into sections and tips discarded
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup key lime juice fresh squeezed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 large garlic cloves rough chop
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves loose packed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves loose packed
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the wings in a gallon-size zip lock bag.4 pounds chicken wings
- Place the brown sugar, key lime juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper in a blender or immersion blender and blend until smooth.1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup key lime juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 6 large garlic cloves, 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Pour over the wings and marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours. If possible, try to turn the bag every few hours so the wings marinate evenly.
- Before grilling, drain off the excess marinade from the wings and place it in a small saucepot. Bring to a boil and take off the heat.
- Prepare the grill and cook the wings over medium heat.
- Baste the wings with the marinade every couple of minutes, especially after turning.
- Continue cooking until wings reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. Try to get a good char on the outside. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Marinate Overnight: For the best flavor, marinate the chicken wings overnight. This allows the marinade to fully penetrate the meat, resulting in more flavorful wings.
- Use Indirect Heat: If your grill has hot spots, use indirect heat to avoid burning the wings. This will help them cook evenly and develop a nice char without drying out.
- Baste Often: Basting the wings with the reserved marinade while grilling adds more flavor and keeps them moist. Just be sure to boil the marinade first to avoid cross-contamination.
- Use an Instant-Read Thermometer: To ensure your wings are perfectly cooked, use an instant-read thermometer to check that they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Crisp the Skin: For extra crispy skin, finish the wings over higher heat for a minute or two on each side.
- Serve with Dipping Sauces: This easy recipe is great with ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or your favorite BBQ sauce.
Nutrition
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Hi! I am gonna have chicken wings tomorrow for dinner but can I bake instead? Don’t have grill equipment. Any tips? Thank you!
This sounds really good – I have some chicken thawing for tomorrow’s dinner too. I’m thinking I need to try this recipe. Thanks!
Carole
I could eat about 17 of these! So delicious! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing this over at Bewitchin’ Projects Block Party! Hope you will join us again this week!
-Shonee
http://www.hawthorneandmain.com
Dana, you are making me soooo hungry! I love Key Lime recipes! Pinning! Found your from CD’s Country Living Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!
They look sooooo good! Thank you for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things.